Just following the tragic mortar attack against the entrapped members of MKO inside the transit camp of Liberty, there came the imperious, short message of Massoud Rajavi, autocratic leader of the group, delivered from his hideout. His belligerent tone condemning the attackers was not something unprecedented but with the difference that this time the victims of his unleashed scathing attack were not the Iranian and Iraqi governments as usual but Martin Kobler, the UN Special Representative for Iraq and the head of UNAMI. In the course of a yearlong campaign, since settlement in Camp Liberty, expressing strong antipathy towards Mr. Kobler, MKO leveled all kinds of unfounded allegations against him and accused him of acting in collusion to displace MKO members. In his message, Mr. Kobler is represented as one among many adversaries whose antagonism is claimed to have paved the ground for the bloody attack:
“When Mr. Kobler’s duplicity, malice and his criminal pressures failed to work, and when a flood of disinformation and the spread canard did not work, then as usual, they fired missiles against defenseless refugees.”
Rajavi knows better than anybody that none of his putative adversaries gain the least benefit from the plotted attacks against the Liberty. The attacks rather break off the process of MKO’s expulsion from Iraq and its members’ resettlement in any third country. And that is what Rajavi is investing on; he plans to cease the process and to return to his almost closed previous cult bastion, Camp Ashraf.
The paid mercenary advocates of the group, majority of whom are vested with some authority of western parliaments and ex-officials of certain posts, have been tasked with the mission of beating the drum for the return of the Liberty residents to Ashraf. Misled by a widespread lobbying campaign of the group, many of these supporters fail to observe that there is no logic in returning people to a former location after it took a lot of painstaking work to get them out. Some of them even transcend to talk on behalf of their governments as Rep. Rohrabacher condemned the US for the irresponsibility that led to the attack:
“We put the MeK in this position, we forced them to go to Camp Liberty from Camp Ashraf, where they are now being murdered and our government isn’t fixing responsibility on the Iraqi government as it should. We took them out of a more secure area and put them in a less secure area. We sent them into harm’s way and we haven’t stepped up to do our duty.”
Then again, the former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani demanded that the US keep its promise to protect the residents by moving them back to Camp Ashraf and then to safe countries. However, has the US government promised any of them anything considering the residents’ return to Ashraf or if the US ever sees any logic in reopening a camp that it cooperated to close down?
The answer was directly and clearly provided in Victoria Nuland’s daily press briefing in Feb. 12. In answer to the question on the United States position concerning moving the residents in Camp Liberty back to Camp Ashraf, the State Department’s spokesperson said:
“The answer for the individuals at Hurriya is not to relocate back to Ashraf, in our view. The only peaceful and durable solution for these individuals is resettlement outside Iraq, and that should continue to be the focus of everybody involved in this effort. As you know, we are continuing to support the work that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq and the UNHCR are undertaking to try to work on resettlement of these people.”
And she clearly briefed on her government’s recommendation to MKO’s advocates who are insisting and lobbying for residents return to Ashraf: “the point that I made here is the same point that we make in our private meetings with those who advocate for the MEK, that if they want to see them safe, if they want to see them have a better life, the answer is outside of Iraq”.
In fact, Mrs. Nuland said the last word, that return to Ashraf was out of question. She has perceived that the insiders are suffering two tragic situations; first, being the helpless victims of a closed cult of personality and second, kept in fetters of their leaders’ illogical and ludicrous decision makings intensified by an outside group of recruited supporters.
Mujahedin Khalq Declining
Blaming MKO for involvement in the recent political instability in Iraq, head of a newly established militant group in Iraq took responsibility for the February 9 mortar attack on Camp Liberty, which temporarily houses some 3000 members of the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq organization.
According to Habilian Association, head of Mukhtar Army Wathiq al-Battat, in his interview with Al-Mada Press, did not rule out the possibility of further attacks on Camp Liberty, and underscored that they are in ambush for the terrorist MKO group until they leave Iraq.
Camp Liberty, formerly a US base which is now the temporary home for about 3000 MKO members, came under mortar attack on February 9, 2013, leaving a number of MKO members dead and injured.
From the very first hours, MKO started condemning Iran for carrying out the attack, but Iranian foreign ministry spokesman denied the allegations and said Iran has nothing to do with it.
In a separate interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday, al-Battat said, “It is time for the people of the MEK to leave Iraq. We have demanded that the government kick the group out of the country, but the Iraqi government did not respond positively to our demand” he said.
The Iraqi cleric said the MKO’s presence in Iraq poses a “big threat” to Iraq and the lives of Iraqi people.
A group of Ex MEK members and supporters, started a new campaign in Facebook which has outraged the Rajavists.
The campaign which was formed after the mortar attack to camp Liberty, has called for immediate replacement of MEK members to safe countries. A request that is against the rajavis will.
It is mentioned in the declaration of the campaign, “We call upon the United Nations and other responsible organizations for the immediate safe transfer of these defenseless political asylums before anymore future attacks.”
Despite the humanitarian nature of the campaign, Rajavi organization has mobilized its member and supporters to accuse founders and members of the campaign to be agents of Islamic Republic of Iran.
One of the founders of the campaign, Mrs. Atefeh Eghbal, is a former high ranking MEK official who left the Iraq based group in mid 90s. Her brother Mohammad Eghbal is still a high ranking MEK official in camp Liberty and is Arabic translator.
According to MEK websites MR. Eghbal has written a public letter to her sister and other campaign activists and accused her of being a traitor as well as insulting her. MEK has showed a huge desire to accuse every ex MEK and other criticizers in order to stop them from writing and talking about MEK.
Despite the efforts of MEK, this small group and their campaign has raised a question among Iranian internet activists that why Ravi`s Organization takes no action to help its members to leave Iraq.
It was commented in the Facebook page of the campaign, “Rajavi claims that he has support of more than 7000 mayors in France and a huge support among members of parliaments in European countries and in America. Why NON of these supports has taken any actions to save members in Iraq?
Meanwhile MEK has called for immediate return to Ashraf, where was given to Rajavists by Saddam and has a better infrastructure for the cult like organization.
An Ex MEK member told Mojahedin Monitor that Rajavi is not willing that its members leave Iraq. They are hoping to remain and return to Ashraf. Rajavi has proved that he is willing to sacrifice its members for his goals.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/campaigneliberty/?bookmark_t=group
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called on the UN to speed up the process of expulsion of the members of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from Iraq.
Ali Al-Moussavi, a senior advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, announced that Maliki has met with Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Iraq over the UN’s activities in Iraq, including the transfer of the MKO from the country.
Moussavi said that Maliki has asked the UN representative to fulfill his pledge to rapidly implement expulsion of the MKO members from Iraq’s soil.
The advisor stated that Maliki has told Kobler that "Iraq can no more tolerate" the terrorist organization’s members and will not extend their presence in Iraq "even for one single hour", reiterating that any MKO overstay in Iraq will be illegal.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) monitors the transfer of Camp Ashraf residents to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.
The MKO, founded in the 1960s, blended elements of Islamism and Stalinism and participated in the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979. Ahead of the revolution, the MKO conducted attacks and assassinations against both Iranian and Western targets.
The group started assassination of the citizens and officials after the revolution in a bid to take control of the newly-established Islamic Republic. It killed several of Iran’s new leaders in the early years after the revolution, including the then President, Mohammad Ali Rajayee, Prime Minister, Mohammad Javad Bahonar and the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who were killed in bomb attacks by MKO members in 1981.
The group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was protected by Saddam Hussein and where it helped the Iraqi dictator suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country.
The terrorist group joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam and killed thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed Iraqi imposed war on Iran.
Since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the group, which now adheres to a pro-free-market philosophy, has been strongly backed by neo-conservatives in the United States, who argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.
The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.
In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty.
Germany’s Ambassador to Iraq Britta Wagner said her government supports expulsion of the member of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from Iraq.
According to a report by Buratha news website, Wagner praised in a statement the performance of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) in monitoring transfer of the MKO members from Camp Ashraf, the terrorist group’s main training camp in Iraq, to the Camp Liberty, a transient settlement facility in Iraq.
"I would like to express the full support of the German federal government to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) that has monitored the transfer of Camp Ashraf residents to Camp Liberty," she said.
The MKO, founded in the 1960s, blended elements of Islamism and Stalinism and participated in the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979. Ahead of the revolution, the MKO conducted attacks and assassinations against both Iranian and Western targets.
The group started assassination of the citizens and officials after the revolution in a bid to take control of the newly-established Islamic Republic. It killed several of Iran’s new leaders in the early years after the revolution, including the then President, Mohammad Ali Rajayee, Prime Minister, Mohammad Javad Bahonar and the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who were killed in bomb attacks by MKO members in 1981.
The group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was protected by Saddam Hussein and where it helped the Iraqi dictator suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country.
The terrorist group joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam and killed thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed Iraqi imposed war on Iran.
Since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the group, which now adheres to a pro-free-market philosophy, has been strongly backed by neo-conservatives in the United States, who argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.
The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.
In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.
Referring to the U.S. role in the region’s instabilities, Seyyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad addressed the recent developments in the region and threats facing the nations in a friendly meeting with a delegation of Iraqi university Professors and scholars and said: “After the new Iraqi government came to power, the Americans found the developments in Iraq against their will and started to support and enhance terrorist groups to destroy the country’s security, they promoted the very same thing they had apparently came to fight.”
Habilian’s Secretary General added: “One of the most destructive terrorist groups in Iraq is Mujahedin e-Khalq organization. As though the group is acknowledged by the USA and other western countries as the sample of murder and crime and it is hated by Iraqi and Iranian nations since it has assassinated many innocent people in both countries, the United States is MEK’s most prominent supporter in Iraq.”
After Hasheminejad’s speech, Ali Abood Ne’emeh, a member of the Iraqi delegation, pointed out recent Islamic movements and said: “We believe the Islamic movements in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq,… wouldn’t have succeeded without Islamic Republic of Iran’s help and support and we have to thank you for this. We also appreciate our leaders who had a very impressive role in the movement of people.
Dr. Rashid Hussein, a university professor in Iraq, referred to the deep, ancient ties between Iran and Iraq and said:” Of course sometimes foreign factors cause problems for the ties between the two countries, but whenever these foreign factors are removed, the ties will be normal again.”
In another part of his speech he addressed the Imperial governments’ wickedness and stated: “The conspiracy of imperial governments is too obvious in the region and it has always existed. What is now happening in the Islamic Wakening countries is a good proof for this. These are due to foreign and imperial intervention.
Dr. Hussein added: “The Iraqi people don’t ever tolerate the MEK, but unfortunately some Iraqi officials and the United States back the group and want them to stay in Iraq for a while.”
He pointed out the American propaganda and said: “We know what the USA is seeking in the world. But unfortunately they are using their propaganda machines and false advertisement to claim they have come to Iraq for Human Rights. They can easily promote themselves since the media is at their disposal.”
At the end Dr.Rashid Hussein appreciated Habilian Association’s activities and included: “We are very happy to see NGOs are so active in Iran and hope we can use Iran’s experience in this field in our country. We are still at the beginning in Iraq. It is such a useful experience. Specifically about Habilian, it is so nice to support families of the people who have sacrificed themselves for your country. This would encourage Iranian people for further sacrifices in the future.”
The US State Department spokesperson called on the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, NCR and PMOI) "not to relocate back" to Camp Ashraf, their former military headquarters located some 100 kilometers West of the Iranian border.
"The only peaceful and durable solution for these individuals is resettlement outside Iraq, and that should continue to be the focus of everybody involved in this effort," Victoria Nuland said, reported Habilian Association, a human rights NGO representing the families of Iranian terror victims.
Following the mortar attack on the Camp Liberty earlier the week, the group called on the US administration to "facilitate the transfer of" its members in Camp Liberty back to Camp Ashraf, their former military headquarters.
"The answer for the individuals at Hurriya is not to relocate back to Ashraf," said Nuland.
She also made a reference to those advocating the MKO, and said, "If they want to see them safe, if they want to see them have a better life, the answer is outside of Iraq."
The undeniable fact about the UN is that it is a recognized unique international character along with its affiliated councils, bodies and committees. It has a global responsibility to fulfill and works on a broad range of fundamental issues and if it ever engages itself in solving regional differences, disputes and conflicts, that is because to achieve greater general causes and to coordinate efforts for a safer world. In the same way, when the UN Secretary-General officially appointed Mr. Martin Kobler as his Special Representative for Iraq and Head of UNAMI on 11 August 2011, he tasked Mr. Kobler with sensitive duties to take up. As Mr. Kobler said upon his arrival in Baghdad, “I am privileged to be here to contribute to serving and assisting Iraq and its people at a time when the country is going through an important phase in its transition towards a peaceful and prosperous state”.
As a matter of fact, Mr. Kobler is not in Iraq to deal with the never-ending problems, better to say non-stop excuse makings, of an outcast terrorist group that has no respects for internal or international agreements. As a coordinator to help solve one among many problems in Iraq, Mr. Kobler did his best to mediate a settlement between the Iraqi government and Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO, MEK, PMOI, MCR, NLA). The issue of Camp Ashraf, MKO’s bastion located in eastern Iraq, has been one of the main issues dealt with by UNAMI for more than two years. In line with a memorandum of understanding signed in December 2011 by the UN and the Iraqi Government to resolve the situation, the Ashraf residents were re-located to a transit location near Baghdad known as Camp Liberty to carry out a process to determine refugee status again by another office of the UN, UNHCR.
But Mr. Kobler, unfamiliar with MKO’s unconventional thanksgiving, never anticipated that his humanitarian efforts would leave him the most hated and despised man in the eyes of MKO along with Iranian and Iraqi officials. Strong condemnation of Mr. Kobler’s efforts and announcing his boycott as well as seeing him biased and siding with Iran and Iraq regimes is not an unprecedented campaign since MKO’s safe settlement in Camp Liberty. Even after the recent mortar attacks against Camp Liberty, Mr. Kobler did not hesitate to request the Iraqi authorities to ensure medical care for the wounded and confirmed that all those injured have been hospitalized. However, the most unethical, shameful attack against him that raised outcry from sensible politicians was made after the bloody incident when Rudy Guiliani, the former New York mayor, lambasted Mr. Kobler saying:
“You allowed it to become a concentration camp and you permitted it to become a killing field. You shouldn’t resign. Ban Ki-moon should fire you today.”
While the UN monitors are still on the ground and Mr. Kobler has asked the Iraqi authorities to promptly conduct an investigation into the mortar explosions, why is MKO pressing the UN’s head to dismiss his Special Representative for Iraq? That is mainly because Mr. Kobler has a general and humanitarian cause to fulfill rather than bowing down to irrational, impractical demands of a terrorist cult; that is because he cannot be bought and exploited as many other paid advocates of the group like Rudy Guiliani himself; that is because his efforts to redeem the enslaved insiders goes against the group’s barbaric plots to victimize them; that is because he played a decisive role in closing the cult’s bastion and returning the occupied lands to their real owners and … .
Mr. Kobler is not easily corruptible and cannot be manipulated as a stooge of MKO’s propaganda campaign; he is experienced enough not to be trapped in group’s provoked propaganda brawls and keeps away from rebutting unproven allegations leveled against him. In contrast to MKO’s press to be recognized an entity with exclusive privileges and rights, Mr. kobler insists to devote efforts to recognize the rights of the insiders as human beings with the rights of deciding for a free life in a third country. MKO fails to understand that it is making a futile attempt to question the legitimacy of the UN and its representatives. An effective cooperation is a more sensible approach, a right path which MKO is unfamiliar with.
The February 9th mortar attack on the Temporary Transit Location (TTL) for the members of the Mujahedin Khalq Organization known as Camp Liberty, which left 7 dead and dozens injured, opened a new opportunity to the group leaders to run their new plot:”Return to Ashraf”.
The group said that more than 100 had been injured in the shelling and its demands to return to its previous location in Iraq, Camp Ashraf, had been ignored, New York Times reported.[1]
A few hours after the Liberty attack, the MKO websites launched largescale propaganda over the issue. They held an event where a number of their supporters including Howard Dean, Patrick Kennedy, and Strauan Stevenson, spoke on behalf of the group’s recently taken agenda; they all called for residents’ return to Camp Ashraf. Among the event speakers was Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York who condemned Martin Kobler and even former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton for not protecting Liberty residents. He went further and suggested the relocation of Liberty residents to the United States territory. Surprisingly, this part of his speech is no more available on YouTube or the MKO websites. It seems that Mr. Giuliani’s passionate speech was not completely in line with the group’s tactic.
The attack on Liberty that only victimized the suffering hostages held in the MKO’s cult-like structure provided more fuel for the group’s propaganda machine to condemn Iraqi government for its so-called violent act.
New York Times quoted Ali Al Mousavi, saying the accusation from the MEK "is not the first time when they blame us for everything.”[2]
Since the collapse of Iraqi Baath regime, in 2003 and the takeover of camp Ashraf by American military, the MKO was ordered by the new Iraqi government to leave Iraqi territory. Ultimately, in late December 2011, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the UN, Iraqi Government and the MKO in order to evacuate Camp Ashraf and the relocation of its resident in the former American Camp near Baghdad airport, Camp Liberty. But, the MOU didn’t work until the US government promised to remove the group from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organization. the NY Times clarifies:” The MEK had long resisted leaving Camp Ashraf, on land that had been set aside by Saddam Hussein, the toppled Iraqi dictator, and did so only because the United States made it a condition of dropping the group’s terrorist designation”. The report also notifies, “An American official said in August that the MEK had been using Camp Ashraf for paramilitary training.”[3]
The group was delisted in September 2011, only a few weeks after it almost completely evacuated Camp Ashraf. Getting removed from the US black list was a great victory for the MKO that had for years launched a well-funded active lobbying campaign in the US government including the Congress and the Pentagon.
Now that they are no more in the terrorist list they have shifted to the new agenda; return to Ashraf. The attack on TTL (Camp Liberty) provided them with the opportunity to insist on their rude demand but actually it was opposed by the US State Department.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Tuesday, ”The answer for the individuals at (Camp Liberty) is not to relocate back to Ashraf, in our view”, reported the AFP.[4]
“The only peaceful and durable solution for these individuals is resetteltment outside Iraq, and that should continue to be the focus of everything involved in this effort.”[5]
French Foreign Ministry Spokesman Phillipe Lalliot also expressed support over transferring the residents of Liberty underlined its readiness to take part in coordination with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).[6]
MKO is losing the last chances for maintaining its cult in Iraqi territory and this is good news for most Iraqi people. Head of Iraqi human rights group said that Iraq seeks to try absentia the members of the MKO. He said the people of Tuz Khurmato, (a Kurdish area in Iraq) who are victims of the MKO and the trial is going to be held in their city, expressed happiness and satisfaction over the issue. [7]
By Mazda Parsi
References:
[1] Ghaze, Yasir, Six killed in shelling of Iranian Refugee Camp in Iraq, the NewYork Times,February9,2013
[2]ibid
[3]ibid
[4] AFP, US rejects moving Iranian exiles back to old Camp, Febriary12, 2013
[5]ibid
[6]Aswat al-Iraq, France supports transferring MKO members outside Iraq,February13,2013
[7]ibid
THE US has rejected calls for Iranian exiles housed in a camp near Baghdad that came under mortar and rocket attack to be sent back to their former base near the Iranian border.
The death toll from Saturday’s assault on Camp Liberty, which houses about 3000 members of the opposition People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK), has risen to seven, the group said.
Iraqi authorities are now investigating who was behind the attack, but the MEK and its supporters have called for the group to be allowed to return to their old base dating back to the 1980s – Camp Ashraf near the Iranian border.
"The answer for the individuals at (Camp Liberty) is not to relocate back to Ashraf, in our view," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
"The only peaceful and durable solution for these individuals is resettlement outside Iraq, and that should continue to be the focus of everybody involved in this effort."
The camp residents were reluctantly and finally moved from Camp Ashraf last year, on Iraq’s insistence, as part of deal negotiated via the United Nations.
They are now in the process of being resettled, and it is understood the United States and several European countries have agreed to take them in.
Nuland said the United States has still not made any decisions on whether to accept any of the residents.
"We are now in the process of evaluating some of the referrals that UNHCR has sent our way, and we’re strongly, as I said, encouraging others to do the same," Nuland said.
The MEK was founded in the 1960s to oppose the shah of Iran and took up arms against Iran’s clerical rulers after the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the shah.
The group says it has now laid down its arms and is working to overthrow the Islamic regime in Tehran by peaceful means.
Britain struck the group off its terror list in June 2008, followed by the European Union in 2009 and the United States in September.